Poetry Collaboration Thread

When the music captures your will
And the beat courses through your veins
Your soul will have to get up and dance
For joy will not be restrained.

All miseries will come to an end
And pleasure cannot live without pain
In order to be truly cleansed
One first must be stained.

Driven by the rhythm I am
Moving and grooving to the jam
The bass, the hook
The singer's voice
The vibes began
Feeling only the beat
Body and emotions unite
With the DJ setting the course
and the rhythm driving
I let loose and start unwinding.

Before the walls lay a thousand campfires
Ten thousand throats raw with bawdy song
A hundred gypsies swirled to lute and lyre
and wild eyed warriors could do no wrong.

The wolves of war, eager for the morrow,
laughed and joked, honing swords of sorrow.
The horses whickered, on their bits a' champing
wearing grooves in dirt from their stamping.

But tonight we dance, bent on romancing
upon dark plains, a soft nights bliss.
Lost in time, feminine lures enchanting,
forgetting sharp cuts and arrows hiss.

.

The jackals spun and crouched and snapped
a dance of desperation.
Brothers, sisters, mates attacked,
not enough to go around.

It must have been a month or two
they watched beneath the moon,
the gypsies gathered 'round the fire,
the feast came none too soon.

They waited until nothing moved,
but banners flapping, soldierless.
Warmed and cooled and warmed again
a sickly-sweet abundant mess!

(WOW, this is a really fun thread! You guys are amazing!)

Hooded figures keep watch throughout the storm
Huddled in the glow of the hearth firelight
Dark mischief in their thoughts will keep them warm
As the blood of their feasts colors the night


Up in the tower the chosen awaits
As hours deepen their seductive spell
And night entwines death and dark lovers’ fates
Drawing together both heaven and hell


Cold lips kiss as the blood sends crimson steam
Through which teeth like icicle daggers gleam

(forgive me for re-posting this one--it was included in 'three dark poems for all hallow's eve' that I posted at halloween--but it just fit here too well...)

Let the honey words drip
down
between us
Let my mouth caress your
thoughts
taste my tongue with eager lips
warm
expressions intermingled
with phrases of fluid
peach

Devour me like
books
so you can run
cool
fingers along my delicate pages

My literary lover
I want only to read
you
the perfect union of our minds
connected


[edit on 1-12-2005 by nikelbee]

You beckon me to dance
to sing and be joyus one last time
but as our eyes met
I turned and walked away

Forgive me my true love
for you knew that I had to leave
though you know not why
I shall not return

I really could never offer
What the others would present to you
forsaken by my pack
I choose to fight alone

Night has fallen upon us
The drums of war ring outside the walls
Soon the moon will rise
my howl on the wind

I now stalk the night
a lone defender of my hallowed halls
all dark and silent here
forever alone in darkness





[edit on 1-12-2005 by silentlonewolf]

Some say it's only a dream world;
A playground built for just one:
Observed by souls with wings unfurled
Whose leaden feet have forgotten to run!
These critics of my free flying fancy
Are blind to the magic of air...
And deem variance from routine too chancy
Preferring to be weighted by care.
They know not the delight of adventure
Embarked upon in fullness of night,
Relief from the sun’s harsh disclosure
On a path lit by the stars’ light.

Alone in the darkness, once again
With dimming lamp, and whetted pen!
A secret delight of mischievous glee
Is writing what I dream to thee.

Imagining you in solemn grace
With glowing candle on your face
Reading what was writ right here
And realization whipping fear.

For in that moment look not back
And contemplate the shadow black.
Know that pumping hearts do make
The best of lovers for to take!

(I don't know why I'm writing such stuff, it could be pent up creative forces that weren't unleashed on the Halloween contest )

[edit on 1-12-2005 by informatu]

It's difficult, is it not, to respond to the poem above without the quote button?

Ah, well...we'll just have to see it through somehow.

Informatu...that was a very cleverly wrought bit of poetry. You've found the groove. Keeping that candle lit, I am.

Queenanie...you rock!!!

edit to add...you guys all rock!

[edit on 2-12-2005 by masqua]

This is indeed an awesomely fun thread!


Kudos to Masqua and Nikelbee!
I think I must use two of my monthly votes for you guys gifting us this thread...

BRB.

Done--two votes cast for 'way above' poets and thread-pioneers extraordinaire.

On a more universal note, (as far as this thread, that is)--I'm so delighted to be waxing poetic amongst others who do not have an aversion to either rhyme or meter! I like free verse fine--but a true lyrical ode, IMO, is choreographed with sounds and accents in the classical tendency.


I've got an idea for another thread for our poetic fitness--come check it out because I'm going to post it now.

[edit on 12/3/2005 by queenannie38]

Originally posted by informatu
Alone in the darkness, once again
With dimming lamp, and whetted pen!
A secret delight of mischievous glee
Is writing what I dream to thee.

Imagining you in solemn grace
With glowing candle on your face
Reading what was writ right here
And realization whipping fear.

For in that moment look not back
And contemplate the shadow black.
Know that pumping hearts do make
The best of lovers for to take!

Shadows upon deeper shadows hide
around the flick'ring candlelight.
There do those rattling skeletons abide
outside our heavy lidded sight.

Crackling vellum and dog-eared pages
gleaming yellow in the flame,
revealing thoughts of ancient sages
intent upon the dark to tame.

But, fear ye not that unknown gloom,
it is but a'flutter with silent birds
winging about your familiar room
carrying forth the ghosts of words.

.

Originally posted by worldwatcher
Driven by the rhythm I am
Moving and grooving to the jam
The bass, the hook
The singer's voice
The vibes began
Feeling only the beat
Body and emotions unite
With the DJ setting the course
and the rhythm driving
I let loose and start unwinding.

hipping to the vibes
flowing with the tides
rapping crap
slap and tap
slinging diatribes

you know you gotta show me slide
and let your body glow on the ride
ripping on the floor
grooving on the lore
and let go of all your care
and get into all we share
in the mood we'll collude and collide

Originally posted by masqua

hipping to the vibes
flowing with the tides
rapping crap
slap and tap
slinging diatribes

you know you gotta show me slide
and let your body glow on the ride
ripping on the floor
grooving on the lore
and let go of all your care
and get into all we share
in the mood we'll collude and collide

The digital waves of thrubbing glide
down my back and through my hide
a numbing beat of steamy meat
at the night-club freak-out on State Street

The young and brash with egos bare
writhe in public underwear
with outsides bare and insides hidden
music excuses our secret rhythm

So thrash me into sweet submission
and cover me in your sweaty hair
I never want to lose this vision
beside the boring daily glare

Originally posted by masqua

Shadows upon deeper shadows hide
around the flick'ring candlelight.
There do those rattling skeletons abide
outside our heavy lidded sight.

Crackling vellum and dog-eared pages
gleaming yellow in the flame,
revealing thoughts of ancient sages
intent upon the dark to tame.

But, fear ye not that unknown gloom,
it is but a'flutter with silent birds
winging about your familiar room
carrying forth the ghosts of words.

.

I had barely breathed the incantation
found in the ancient magi's book
when I heard a tapping at the window
and startled, spun, to take a look

A raven perched upon the sill
His head was cocked and body still
He seemed intent upon my face
My surroundings seemed an akward place

"What do you want?" I asked out loud
and half expected it to speak
You see, I am not too proud
to await pronouncements from a beak

The bird blinked twice and flapped away
and I was glad it did not stay
I promptly closed the weathered tome
swearing never again to cast at home

Originally posted by informatu

I had barely breathed the incantation
found in the ancient magi's book
when I heard a tapping at the window
and startled, spun, to take a look

A raven perched upon the sill
His head was cocked and body still
He seemed intent upon my face
My surroundings seemed an akward place

"What do you want?" I asked out loud
and half expected it to speak
You see, I am not too proud
to await pronouncements from a beak

The bird blinked twice and flapped away
and I was glad it did not stay
I promptly closed the weathered tome
swearing never again to cast at home

Virgin parchment, vile black ink,
gutt'ring candles, weathered plank,
noxious potion which I drink,
in this chamber cold and dank.

Scratching symbols of latent power
upon this unsullied page
timed within the darkest hour
seasoned by my controlled rage.

Squinting eyes and moving lips
reciting these old incantations
drumming with my fingertips
a tempo to the lamentations.

Out of this abysmal magic lore
did form a man, and lo!
Into my face he hissed; "Nevermore,
or I'll fix you, dork, for I am Poe!!!"

.

Originally posted by nikelbee
Let the honey words drip
down
between us
Let my mouth caress your
thoughts
taste my tongue with eager lips
warm
expressions intermingled
with phrases of fluid
peach

Devour me like
books
so you can run
cool
fingers along my delicate pages

My literary lover
I want only to read
you
the perfect union of our minds
connected

And's, or's and if's
cojoin to hotly consumate
within these crispy cliffs
what nouns and verbs and adjectives
in sentences do illustrate.

They dance into my mind
from pearly clean white pages
and with their message bind
to me adventure, hopes, wild dreams(!)
and wisdoms of great sages.

I'll always love the Word
clean from crackling bindings
swaying me from the herd
by an author's recklessness and daring
via their enlightened findings.

--------------------------------------------------
nikelbee, nikelbee, wherefort art thou, nikelbee...?

Originally posted by masqua

And's, or's and if's
cojoin to hotly consumate
within these crispy cliffs
what nouns and verbs and adjectives
in sentences do illustrate.

They dance into my mind
from pearly clean white pages
and with their message bind
to me adventure, hopes, wild dreams(!)
and wisdoms of great sages.

I'll always love the Word
clean from crackling bindings
swaying me from the herd
by an author's recklessness and daring
via their enlightened findings.

I met a wise old man once,
Who claimed to be merely a dunce.
He stood on one leg, with the other a peg
And the advice that he gave was a bunce.

He said "Lad, listen hard to what's said,"
"But don't let nothin' get stuck in yer head"
"Spend your money for women, and make a good livin',"
"Cause it'll all be gone when yer dead!"


Hoorah for limericks!

Originally posted by informatu

I met a wise old man once,
Who claimed to be merely a dunce.
He stood on one leg, with the other a peg
And the advice that he gave was a bunce.

He said "Lad, listen hard to what's said,"
"But don't let nothin' get stuck in yer head"
"Spend your money for women, and make a good livin',"
"Cause it'll all be gone when yer dead!"

In the time it took to write this ditty
I was trying to think of something real witty
I'm such a dunce, failing to do so even once
and that's just a gosh darned pity.

If I only had the patience and time
to come up with something sublime
about a damsel so pure, and her aching allure
I'm sure I could make it all rhyme.

.

An ode to you I write today,
But what does it matter, its passed away,
Borne away on the tounges of man,
Buried here, in no-mans-land.

None but I talk of your hair,
Your beautiful golden, silky hair,
Nine but I speak of your face,
A gem of gems, a goddess grace.

None but I speak of your form,
slender and soft, beauty not norm,
None but I whisper of your eyes so blue,
A shocking, beautiful, distinguished hue.

None but I proclaim your beauty,
None so mightily,
None but I proclaim your beauty,
None so loyally.